Existing surgical packs provide sterile storage environments for surgical components (instruments, drugs, solutions, and the like) that are required for a surgical procedure, such as an ophthalmic procedure. One known example of a surgical pack is the Custom-Pak®, which is available from Alcon, Inc. Upon opening of this surgical pack, components may be retrieved according to a particular sequence by which they are required during a procedure.
Often times, after the pack is opened, the components within the pack are retrieved and transferred to a conventional mayo tray, as is known in the art, or back table in an operating room such that a surgeon can retrieve and, if he/she desires, place back any of the components during an operation. The surgical pack does not provide the surgeon with rapid access to all of the packaged components upon opening of the pack. Rather, the transfer of the components to a mayo tray or back table is generally required for the rapid access. Often times, a scrub nurse or surgical assistant performs this transfer. Furthermore, current surgical packs do not provide the surgeon with the ability to return components to the pack such that they are secured positioned but removable for later retrieval during the operation.
Existing surgical packs also do not include all of the components that a surgeon would need for a surgery. For example, although the pack may include the necessary cutting tips, they do not include the handpieces to which the cuffing tips are connected. Furthermore, existing surgical packs do not include a prefilled infusion and aspiration cassette.
Another known example of a surgical pack is the 25-Gauge High-Speed Vitrectomy Pack, which is available from Bausch and Lomb, Inc. Use of the Vitrectomy Pack, however, raises issues similar to those described above in reference to the Custom-Pak®. That is, after the pack is opened, packaged components are retrieved and transferred to a mayo or back table for retrieval and use by a surgeon due to the lack in existing packs to allow components to be securely placed back after retrieval while at the same time providing easy accessibility to the placed-back components for later use.
As such, there is a need for a surgical pack that provides rapid access to packaged components without transfer of the components to a separate tray or table. There is also a need for a surgical pack that is configured for secure re-storage and retrieval of components.